Lesson 3: Body dragging upwind and attempting the water start

Today was incredibly productive for both me and Jon. We now feel confident rigging kites, and safely launching kites. Also, I was totally comfortable body dragging--even body dragging upwind with a powered kite! All this in the span of about one hour on the kite. The day started out really slow - we were windless until about 1:00PM, so we practiced laying out lines. However, once the wind picked up, it was consistent until about 3:30PM. 

For the second part of the lesson, Pete had us trying water starts. I could power stroke the kite fine, but wasn't able to find the right balance point on the board. For whatever reason, I can't seem to translate snowboarding skills over to the water start... in fact, my only semi-successful water start was gaffed because I led with the "wrong" foot! (you're always riding switch in one direction on a kiteboard, and normal in the other direction. I rode normal when I should have been switch, so I then panicked, dropped into the water and put the kite into the sky again.) My kite also went a bit crazy again - somehow it inverted on itself and flew up into the air out of control--I released the safety, it just kept floating in the air on its own for a good 10 minutes! (That's not supposed to happen on a 5-line kite!) Eventually I was able to tug on the leash a few times in a few different directions and it came down.

After the lesson I read some postings online at the Kiteboarding Evolution site, so I hope to be more proficient at getting out of the water next time.   

Here were the things I learned today: 
Keep a sandbag near the kite before you inflate. You can inflate anywhere then move the kite to your lines.

To body drag upwind, use your arm. Point a few degrees upwind. Use your whole body if possible, and stay "flat", tipped sideways. Keep kite reasonably powered about 45 degrees. You won’t move if you point your body too high upwind.

Need to only semi-power the kite at edge of wind window. If it’s fully powered, it’ll crumple and fall.

Learned that for riding on board, put on the board with kite at edge of wind window, knees tucked to chest, both feet on board at same time if possible. Wiggle feet into board straps. 

Jon and I are both IKO-2 now (in theory level H).

Yesterday my palm was mildly injured in a non-kiteboarding incident, so we're going to pack it in for now until next week. But I hope to get back to Squamish with Jon on the weekend. Kiteboarding rocks!

BTW, Jon's comment on Kiteboarding: he'd like to just keep body dragging around without bothering with the board. He was able to get up on the board but couldn't see the point (ha..) Any ideas on what he should be striving for?